When Apple(s AAPL) broke out Podcasts as a separate iOS app from iTunes last year, a rather glaring omission was the ability to create playlists. Six months later, Apple has added that feature along with several other improvements to the app in an update released Thursday.

New features in the Podcasts 1.2 update include: playlists synced from iTunes now appear in the app; the ability to create automatically updating stations featuring preferred podcasts; customized stations that are stored in iCloud and automatically synced across your iCloud-enabled devices; a choice to start playing either the newest or oldest episode; and the ability to add any podcast episodes to On the Go playlists.

Am I one of the few people who actually liked the reel-to-reel animation in the podcast app version 1.1.2? I deleted version 1.1.2. before I learned they dropped the reel-to-reel animation in the new version and regret doing so! Does anyone know where I can find version 1.1.2 for download? Thanks!

If you delete your podcasts from your computer as you listen to them, then the iPhone app is no longer able to determine if you have listened to them or not. This means everytime they update the app, all your old (listened to) podcast start showing up in your playlist again. I have yet found a way to fix this problem except for using iCloud (of which I am not a fan).

The reel to reel thing was literally the only compelling thing about the Podcasts app, which is the most infuriating, sh*tty app I have ever made the effort to “push through”. I spent sooo many hours trying, and retrying, to get this just right, only to have it randomly sync and lose everything. Having moved onto Instacast, I cannot imagine what Apple could do to make me use the Podcasts app again. Hint: not even a free phone would not be enough.

Have you actually used the new app? It had usability issues before, but now it won’t even play podcasts I’ve already downloaded without streaming them. It is wasting my bandwidth and won’t play AT ALL in Airplane Mode (which I have to use a lot because of my job). I’m very irked by this update.

Honestly, I think Apple made a mistake by separating out the iPod app at all. More icons to take up space on my (cramped) home screen and folders (which, unbelievably, are space-limited so I can’t organize sensibly), and, yeah; worse apps. I mean, did they really think I was so eager to keep “playlists, artists, songs, albums” ALL in the main toolbar for the iPod app? Playlists, Artists, Videos, Podcasts was just fine with me.

It looks better and functions smoother than before. However, as far as I can tell, there’s still no way to rate an episode of a podcast, so I’ll be sticking with Music app. I listen to a lot of short fiction podcasts, and I like to be able to rate them and share the stories I think are particularly well written with friends/family/etc. And I like having a record of what I’ve listened to and what I thought of it. So, until I’m forced to switch to Podcasts, or Apple implements ratings in it, I’ll be sticking with Music app.

Apple has updated its Podcasts app, adding a much desired iCloud syncing feature along with the ability to create custom stations and On-The-Go playlists.

With custom stations, users can compile their favorite podcasts into lists that will be automatically updated when new episodes are released, and a new option allows listeners to decide whether custom stations begin playing the newest or oldest unplayed episodes.
…http://bit.ly/YHCpQp

Since I still possess – but haven’t used in a decade – a TEAC 10″ Reel to Reel – I had a soft spot for the tapedeck in the previous podcasts app. That said, it seemed more like an exercise in “see what we can do” rather than “this is a very practical way to manage your podcast experience” approach.

I did like how the tape guides lifted off in fast forward/rewind and how the take up spools filled or emptied as the podcast progressed, but it ultimately felt more like a history lesson than a useful metaphor. Bit like Microsoft’s persistent use of a floppy disk as a metaphor for the “save” function in Office.

The reel to reel was pretty, but it didn’t add any functionality.
You couldn’t grab & rewind the tape etc. The remaining duration was nice but it was too much wasted space for something that essentially did nothing.

I’d rather Apple spent it’s time on making basic features work like syncing play status with iTunes before adding layers of pixie dust.

Presumably, after they got the evil Scott out of there, Jony Ive fixed up the interface. No scarce resources for stupid tape player. And it actually gives youthe ability to stream or play the latest two (your decision) of a podcast from your iThing.